


And The Rude Sea

by angellwings



Category: The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Alternate Universe, F/M, Friendship/Love, Mermaid Cassandra, Romance, librarian Jake
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-27
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2018-05-03 15:40:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5296874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angellwings/pseuds/angellwings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In an alternate thread on the Loom of Fate, Jacob Stone was chosen as the Librarian in a world where Cassandra Cillian was born a mermaid. This the story of how they meet and, ultimately, save each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Siren's Song

**Author's Note:**

> So I am obsessed with mermaids and this began as a chat with my little Jassandra trash squad where I said "imagine Cassandra as a mermaid being housed in the Library" which turned into "What if she watched him work from her tank and he worked at a table near the tank just to be close to her?" which turned into "THIS HAS TO BE WRITTEN." 
> 
> So here we are. This is just the start. I plan for there to be more. Hope you like it!

There was a breach in the hull. No one knew how or why, but the ship began taking on water and there wasn’t enough time to stop it. The crew had loaded on to lifeboats and evacuated. They’d managed to alert the Coast Guard before evacuating the ship and now they just had to sit tight and wait for rescue. Four lifeboats full of crewman sitting in open water. Perfectly vulnerable to the elements, animals, and…anything else that may be lurking in the water.

There was a splash several feet to the right of the group of lifeboats and every head turned toward it.

“What was that?” one of the men asked in a shaky voice.

“Probably a fish. Nothing to worry about,” the Captain replied with a sigh. He’d been stuck with a bunch of wimps for crewman. This rescue better happen quickly.

Several minutes later a head popped up out of the water and the Captain squinted in confusion. It was a woman. There was no land for hundreds of miles. That wasn’t possible.

“Say,” he said with a furrowed brow. “Where’d you come from?”

She smiled at him prettily and fluttered her eyelashes as she drifted closer. He heard other men saying there were more swimming toward their boats. Something in the back of his mind raised a cautious red flag but before that thought could go very far the stunning creature before him began singing a haunting melody. And then all he knew was that he had to be near her. Had to be with her. At all costs.

As he leaned forward over the edge of the boat, her song stopped. Out of the water came talons and she bared her true face. A face of fangs and black eyes. A face out of his nightmares. He heard screams all around him as all hell broke loose and the demon pulled him out of the boat and into the depths of the sea.

Everything after that was a blur. He had flashes of fins, fangs, and fights. His lungs burned from the intake of water and the lack of oxygen but eventually he somehow found himself back in the boat. He couldn't remember if he was thrown into it or if he’d somehow climbed in. Other men joined him soon after that. Neither seemed to understand how they arrived there either. But as they gathered their wits they realized they were the only boat left out of four.

A taloned hand grabbed the side of the boat and the Captain knew what had to be done.

“Grab the demon! She’s the one responsible!” He commanded. In a rage the men did as they were told and several pairs of strong hands snatched the struggling creature out of the water and pulled her on board. Once inside the boat they could hardly believe their eyes.

“It’s not possible,” one of the men whispered.

“Are you seeing it with your own eyes?” the Captain asked the younger man critically. The man nodded and the Captain reached out and punched the creature as it began to come to. It cried out and went limp with long shiny red hair falling across it’s delicate features. His eyes traveled down the tail and the rainbow scales that decorated it and then up to the half that appeared to be a stunning woman. He could scarcely believe it himself but it seemed mermaids were _very_ real.

The Captain advised his men to keep an eye out. Surely the creatures would be back for this one. They appeared to hunt in a pack. It wasn’t long after that the Coast Guard appeared. The enchantresses never had a chance to come back for them. They left him with a story to tell and proof that it happened.

“Sailors beware,” he repeated to himself as he cautiously picked up the mermaid to carry with him onto the rescue boat.

* * *

 

The Library had been quiet lately. Even Judson had noted how unusual that was. Charlene, of course, was relishing the quiet as it meant expenses were low and there was no need to file receipts. Not that she had to worry about that with Jacob Stone. His receipts were always filed correctly and categorized appropriately. He was never late for work, but that could be because he never _left_. The Library had not appointed him a Guardian, which was both a blessing and a curse. It left him free to do his work as he saw fit and he was certainly capable of taking care of himself, but it did make the work lonely sometimes.

It was easier to not have a life than to have to hide The Library from someone new. And it’s not as if he were still speaking to his family. So, throwing himself into saving the world from magic seemed like a good substitute.

He was doing a bit of light reading at the work table in The Library’s Card Catalogue when he heard the all too familiar sound. The sound he hadn’t heard in weeks. The rustling of pages in the Clippings Book seemed louder to him than any sound in the world at this point in his career as The Librarian. He rushed to read it. He was eager to be adventuring again. It kept him from thinking too much.

His brow furrowed at the sight of a tabloid headline.

“MERMAIDS ARE REAL”

Not a very creative headline, he thought. It claimed proof lied inside the pages and that there were pictures and first hand testimonies of sailors who had been attacked by it. This supposed mermaid was said to have killed at least two dozen men. Jacob glanced up at the Library’s ceiling and sighed.

“Really? You want me to chase down a tabloid story?” He asked with a huff.

“Don’t scoff,” Judson said as he entered the room. “Tabloids are surprisingly accurate. We’re lucky most of our world lives in denial about magic. What are they reporting this time?”

“Mermaids,” Jacob told him.

“Interesting and very dangerous,” Judson said with a nod. “You should look into it. I’ll tell Charlene. Where are you going?”

He scanned the next page, which had the contents of the article and then answered. “San Diego. Supposedly they’re keeping this mermaid at the Zoo. Of all places.”

“If it is a mermaid, you’ll need to bring her back here,” Judson instructed. “Modern science isn’t quite ready for that discovery yet.”

Mermaids were real, he knew this. He’d read about them in the diaries of previous Librarians, but they were very careful and very solitary. The chances of these sailors being in possession of a real mermaid was slim to none. But he’d check it out. At the very least a trip to the Zoo was always fun.

* * *

 

With the assistance of The Library he’d made his way into the employee area of the Zoo with minimal trouble and followed all the chatter to one of the tanks the zoo kept for rehabilitating animals. There was a crowd of marine biologists gathered around the tank, taking notes and whispering things in awed voices. He broke through them and then understood their awe. There was an actual mermaid in that tank. The tabloid was telling the truth.

Though, the creature wasn’t doing much. She was huddled on the far end of the tank, lying face down in curled position. She was completely still aside from the occasional flip of her fin. Even through the blue water he could tell she had long bright red hair and her tail was a beautiful rainbow of pinks and blues. What he could see of her was stunning but there was a sad pang in his chest at the sight of her. He had to remind himself that mermaids were vicious and blood thirsty and were known for being deceptive. He could not trust this creature. Even if his instincts were telling him she wasn’t what she seemed.

“Excuse me,” Jacob said as he turned to one of the Marine Biologists. “Can you tell me who’s in charge here?” He asked. The pretty marine biologist gave him a skeptical look and he threw her his most charming smile in response with a small flirtatious wink. “I’m The Librarian.”

“Oh!” She exclaimed with a blush and a shy smile. “From the University! They told us you were coming! Right this way.”

He nodded and followed behind her. After some negotiating and knowledgeable use of the Library’s voodoo Jacob was able to convince the director of the Zoo to let him take the mermaid to his “research facility” where she could be “properly studied.” Jake knew very little about marine biology so he was surprised he’d pulled it off. He called Judson to see if any preparations needed to be made in the Library but it seemed The Library had anticipated their needs yet again. Judson found a generously sized tank in it’s own room just an hour ago. It seems The Library knew he’d succeed before he did himself.

Several minutes later the mermaid was literally dumped at his feet. The Guards had not treated her kindly. Her fin had transformed into legs and she was wrapped in a white terrycloth robe. They had not given her time to place her arms in the sleeves or bothered to tie it around the waist and so her nakedness was almost on full display. He reached out to help her stand but she ignored his hand and stood on her own. He felt his traitorous heart go out to the mermaid again as she whimpered and stood weakly on her feet. He waited for her to slip her arms in the robe and tie it before introducing himself.

“I’m Jacob Stone,” he told her. He continued in a stern tone so that she’d know he meant business. If the story of the attack was true then she might turn on him at any moment. “The Librarian.”

Her bright blue eyes widened as she recognized the title and he saw fear flash across her face. She didn’t speak but she attempted to back out of the room. The Guards that had dumped her at his feet earlier grabbed her and pushed her back toward him. She looked up at him again and he noticed her black and swollen eye. He was conflicted between wondering if she deserved it and wondering how anyone could be so cruel to a living being that seemed so broken.

He shot the Gaurds a look and then pointed to her face. “Did you do this?” He asked as he tried not to sound to angry on her behalf.

“No, she came to us like that. The sailors she attacked did that,” The taller of the two guards spat angrily. “She’s a murderer. Are you trying to say she didn’t deserve it?”

She visibly flinched at his tone but still said nothing. He couldn’t tell if she really understood what he said or just felt his hatred through the sound of his words.

Jacob chose to say nothing in return. They’d put handcuffs around her wrists to restrain her so Jacob gently grabbed her elbow and led her toward the door. On Judson’s orders, Charlene had arranged for a private plane from San Diego to New York. She’d grumbled about the cost but Judson had rightly pointed out that mermaids were more dangerous in populated public areas. It was best to have her in contact with as few people as possible. She’d still not spoken to him when the plane touched down. She looked tired and weak. He really wished she would do something horrible so he’d stop feeling so empathetic. If she would just attack him or try to escape or do anything desperate to manipulate him as he’d read captured mermaids had a tendency to do then he could see her as others did. Then he could see her as a ruthless murderer of sailors and a trickster seductress that he should lock away in the depths of the Library forever.

But she wasn’t doing any of those things. She kept to herself and generally looked lost and alone. He knew that look all too well. They loaded into a car and headed to the Library. She was getting weaker the longer the trip took. He had a feeling she was dehydrated. Mermaids could only stay out of water for so long. He’d tried to help her up the stairs but she’d rebuffed him every time. He could tell walking was hurting her because she winced with every step.

Finally as they reached the elevator and the Library’s entrance her knees gave out and she stumbled into him. He sighed knowingly and lifted her against him. She didn’t fight him or reject him this time. Yes, he thought, she was definitely dehydrated. He stepped inside the elevator and anxiously waited. While he waited he wondered how they ever got Nessie into The Library. He was having enough trouble with one little mermaid. He couldn’t imagine trying to relocate what was essentially a _sea dinosaur_.

The doors opened and he raced into the Library. Judson pointed him toward the room and walked casually behind him. Jacob climbed the stairs next to the tank and gently lowered her into the water. She sunk down to the bottom and rested there for a few moments before her eyes flew open and she swam toward the observation glass. Her pink and blue finn was back in place of her legs he noticed. Whenever that happened, it had happened quickly. Her blue eyes fixated on Judson and followed him as he paced in front of her new tank. Jacob climbed down and came to stand beside the Library’s Caretaker with a curious expression.

“She ain’t what I expected a mermaid to be,” Jacob told him honestly. “She never once tried to escape and she could have. Several times. It would’ve been easy. Never opened her mouth either. Never said a word. For a creature that’s famous for using music to seduce you would think--”

“I wonder if her kind talks about humans in generalities too,” Judson said as he interrupted Jacob’s sentence. “We do eat sea life after all, don’t we? We’re largely selfish creatures who think we own the world as a whole. Do you think they believe every human to be carnivorous, prideful, and ruthless?”

Jacob said nothing in response because he already knew what his answer would be. Yes. Yes, they probably thought of all humans as the same.

“If we know that all humans are different then it would stand to reason that all mermaids are different as well,” Judson told him kindly. “There may be more to this than meets the eye. And as you are the Librarian, Mr. Stone, it is your job to find out the truth. Maybe that truth starts…with her.”

Judson looked from him to the mermaid in the tank. He smiled kindly at her and nodded his head as a gesture of acknowledgement and respect. She hesitantly returned the gesture as she watched him leave. She placed a hand on the glass and then glanced over at Jacob with a nervous gaze.

He stared at her hand on the glass and then met her eyes with a curious look and a furrowed brow.

“Who are you?” He asked with a sigh. “What happened?”

He knew she understood. He knew she heard him. He could see it in her eyes. She looked down and away from him and then turned and swam away. So much for quick answers, he thought. This might take a while.

He stood there for another hour, hoping she might come around. But she didn’t. She stuck to the far end of the tank and swam around doing flips and small circles. She didn’t pay him any attention. So, he decided to go back to his reading. But instead of reading in the Card Catalogue, he got his book and sat down at a worktable The Library had placed in the room with her tank. He could wait. Maybe eventually she’d talk. And hopefully when she did she wouldn’t fall into all the stereotypes he’d read about over the years.

He’d been reading for about an hour when he heard a splash. He ignored it and didn’t bother looking up, but then he heard it again. He looked up to find her swimming right by the glass watching him curiously. The minute he looked up she swam away. He smirked slightly and went back to reading. A half hour later he heard another splash and this time he did look up. He found her half out of the tank with her arms resting on the top of it. She’d rested her chin on her arms and was watching him with a tilted head. Her eyes widened when she realized she was caught and she ducked back into the water with another splash.

He set the book aside and slowly approached the tank.

“You know,” he said as he climbed the steps to the top of the tank. “If you’re curious about me, you could just ask.” He sat down on the top step and watched the surface of the water.  He sat there for about fifteen minutes before he sighed in resignation and started to leave. As he stepped down one step she popped up out of the water. He froze, as if moving might startle her, and they stared at each other for a long moment.

“Jacob Stone,” she said finally. “You’re not what I was told The Librarian would be.”

He grinned slowly and sat back down on the steps. “I get that a lot.”

“My sisters always told me the Librarian was a soldier, a warrior. That he wanted to destroy magical things,” she said quietly. “But, if you wanted to destroy me you would have done it already.”

“I don’t want to… _destroy_ you,” he said as he squinted at her word choice. “I just wanna know what happened. I wanna know who you are and where you came from.”

She sunk a bit further down into the water until he could barely see her eyes studying him carefully.

“You’re not what I expected either,” he told her truthfully when he realized she wasn’t going to say anything else. “I’ve read about mermaids. None of them seem like you. You had plenty of opportunities to attack me on the way here, but you didn’t. The mermaids I read about would have seized any opportunity to escape. Why didn’t you?”

“None of the others _are_ like me,” she responded honestly. “I don’t want what they want.”

“What _do_ you want?” He asked her curiously.

She shrugged and smiled sadly at him. “To be happy. To make a difference.”

“Well, that seems pretty normal,” he said with a kind smile.

“To you,” she said with a sigh. “Not to them.”

“So then what happened?” He asked her. “How did you get into this mess? What happened with the shipwreck?”

At the very mention of the shipwreck she dove back into the water and retreated away from him. He huffed at himself and shook his head. That was stupid. He should’ve known that would scare her off. He rubbed the back of his neck anxiously and then, after a few more minutes, gave up on her resurfacing. He made his way back down the stairs and watched her through the observation glass.

“I still don’t even know your name,” he said as she finally turned to look at him again. She blinked at him but didn’t move to surface or respond. He shook his head and then turned to leave. That was probably enough for today anyway.

As he reached the door he heard a splash. He didn’t bother turning this time.

“Cassandra,” she said suddenly.

He turned to face her with a small smile. “What?”

She bit her bottom lip and smiled shyly at him. “My name is Cassandra.”

He nodded and tipped his head at her as Judson had done earlier. “Nice to meet you, Cassandra.”

She beamed at him and he felt another pang in his chest. What _was_ that? He must have shown his momentary confusion on his face because she giggled before she spoke again. He had a strange feeling that giggle would be stuck in his head all day.

“Pleased to meet you too, Jacob Stone,” she said in reply. He opened his mouth to ask another question but she dove back into the water before he could manage one word.

He smirked as he watched her swim circles around her tank for a moment. He had a feeling The Library just became even more interesting.

 


	2. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jacob finally figures out what happened that led to Cassandra's capture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure how many chapters this story is going to have or even really what the plot is. I'm winging it. I hope you guys are enjoying it though!  
> Happy reading!  
> angellwings

It had been a week since he’d brought her to the Library. He’d spent one full week reading at the table nearest her tank, watching and waiting. And reading. He’d done a fair share of reading. She’d been watching him too. He could feel her gaze on him the whole time he sat at that table. She hadn’t told him much more than she had initially though.

What could possibly stop her from telling her side of the story?

This was the question he was pondering instead of reading his chosen book of the week.

“If you like _A Brief of History of Time_ then you should read _The Theory of Everything_ ,” a voice said softly from the other end of the room.

He glanced up to find Cassandra with her arms folded and resting on top of the tank’s edge and her tail up and swishing behind her above the water.

“You’ve read this?” He asked as he motioned to the Stephen Hawking book in his hands.

She nodded. “Several times. I used to sneak on shore when my sisters were busy and hide out in local libraries. A very nice old Librarian, a _normal_ one, taught me how to read when I was still a guppy. He recommended all kinds of books,” she said with a peaceful smile. “I love books on math and physics the most. Calculating everything into an exact science is comforting, don’t you think? It adds some measure of certainty and reason to the universe that it desperately needs.”

“I’m more of a humanities student than science or math,” he admitted. “I prefer feelings to facts and interpretation to calculation.”

“I’ve noticed,” she told him with a bashful grin. “You look at a lot of art portfolios. In fact, I’ve never seen you read anything on math or science until today.”

“Judson suggested it,” he admitted.

“You and Judson both seem to rely more on feeling than fact,” she told him honestly. “If you were more practical then I’d be locked safely away in the very back of the Library. Instead, you keep me here. Out in the open. How do you know that I won’t try anything or hurt anyone?”

“It’s been a week,” he told her. “If you were going to then you would have done it already. Besides, someone who’s guilty of the acts you’ve been accused of wouldn’t have looked remorseful or nearly starved themselves out of grief while being kept in a tank at a zoo.”

He may have been too blunt but he hoped the being faced with the absolute truth would convince her to speak.

She bit her bottom lip and looked away from him for a moment. “Why do you want to know what happened so badly?” She asked.

“We need to stop whoever is responsible for killing all of those sailors, Cassandra. You were there. You know who was responsible,” he told her as he set the book aside and walked toward her tank. “You could help us stop them.”

“If I do that I can never go back,” she told him. “I’d have no home or family or—“

“No one said you would have to go back,” he told her.

She swallowed thickly and met his eyes. “What are you saying?”

“You could stay here,” he offered. “In The Library.”

“Not locked away in the far depths of it?” She asked warily.

“No, if you like this room then you could stay here. I wouldn’t mind,” Jacob told her with a kind smile. “So, if that’s what you’re worried about then we’ll help you work it out.”

She narrowed her eyes on him suspiciously. “How do I know you’re not just saying what I want to hear?”

“I guess you don’t,” he said with a sigh. “You’ll just have to trust me.”

“They’ll kill you, you know,” she said softly. “You won’t survive.”

“You’d be surprised what I can live through,” Jacob told her with a small smile.

Her eyes met his again with a sad and worried expression and she shook her head at him. “You’ve never faced off against mermaids. They’re not an artifact you can catalogue and contain. Once you’ve crossed them they won’t stop hunting you.”

“Okay, then help me. Prepare me for it. I’m going to find them eventually with or without your help, and I know I’d feel better if you were on my side,” Jacob said as he climbed the steps on the side of the tank and sat on the platform at the top.

Cassandra swam over to him and shook her head. “Please don’t. I like you. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

He smiled warmly at her for a moment before he spoke. “You like me?”

“The first time you saw me you were angry on my behalf. You thought I might be a murderer and yet you were still angry with those men for how they treated me. You’ve been kind and patient and you like to read, _a lot_. You don’t treat me like a monster or a freak,” she told him with a small smile of her own. “So, of course I like you. You’re _good_. How could I not like you?”

“My chances of getting hurt decrease with the more help I have, you know,” he said again. “Please, tell me what happened and where I can find the group who did this.”

“They hunt in a pack. They’ll lure you in, surround you, and kill you before you ever see it coming,” she said as she shook her head. “I’m not helping you walk into that. I refuse.”

He kept his gaze locked on hers as he spoke. “Those sailors that survived…you saved them didn’t you? You put them in the boat to keep them safe.”

She looked away from him and then dove under the water to avoid answering him. That’s how he knew he was right.

“You could have just told me that,” Jacob said from above the tank as he watched her swim in circles. He knew she could hear him. “You fought off those other mermaids and saved those men.” His hands balled into fists and he continued. “And they rewarded you with a black eye. I swear sometimes I hate humans.”

She popped up out of the water just enough for him to see her eyes on the other end of the tank. She slowly rose up to her shoulders and smirked at him. “You realize you are one, right?”

He chuckled and shook his head before he motioned her over. “I try to believe that humanity is good, but some humans make it difficult. Including myself. You don’t have to tell me any details, but am I right? Did you save those men?”

She nodded her head as she swam over. “Someone had to do something. I saw my sisters sabotage the boat and I couldn’t let them get away with it.”

“You defied your family and your whole species to save a group of men who ended up imprisoning you and cursing you,” Jacob said in amazement. “Do you know how brave that makes you?”

“If I were brave I would have stood up to them a lot sooner,” she said with a shake of her head.

“You’re brave to stand up to them at all,” he assured her. “Trust me. I’ve been there.”

“They migrate,” she said suddenly.

He looked alarmed for a moment and then realized she was talking about the her family. “What?”

“They migrate in a group so as not to raise suspicion. Typically, they look for private boats carrying illegal cargo because they know they’re less likely to have help near by or ask for any if they need it,” she said quickly. “If you search for a pattern of attack then you’ll find them.”

“Thank you,” he said softly.

“I’m coming with you,” she insisted. “Whenever you find them and you leave to go after them, I’m coming with you.”

“Cassandra, I don’t think—“

“I’m coming with you, Jacob. You asked for my help and this is how I want to help,” She said with a determined glare. “When we find them you have to take me with you. Promise me that.”

He nodded reluctantly and sighed. “I promise.”

“Thank you,” she told him with a grateful smile.

“You’re welcome,” he answered in resignation.

“I should let you get back to your book,” she said sheepishly as she started to swim away.

He wasn’t ready to stop talking to her yet though. “Wait,” he said as he reached out and gently grabbed her wrist. “You don’t have to go.”

“I don’t?” She asked.

“No, you could come out of the tank, if you want,” he told her. “Charlene went out and bought you some clothes in case you wanted to get out of the water anytime soon. You could just read or I could show you around,” he said with a friendly smile. “Only if you want. I don’t want you to feel like you have to or—“

“I’d love to,” Cassandra said eagerly. “I’ve been dying to look around this place. There are so many books!”

He beamed at her in excitement. “Great! I’ll go get the clothes and let you change.”

She smiled shyly at him and nodded. “Okay, thank you.”

They exchanged a lingering affectionate look for a moment before he stood up to leave. “You’re very welcome, Cassandra.” 

She continued to smile after him as he walked away and she couldn’t help but wonder if all Librarians were as wonderfully unusually as Jacob Stone. Somehow, she doubted it.


	3. Sooner or Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jacob takes Cassandra on a tour of the Library.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short update but I really like where it went. These two are just super sweet. Happy reading!  
> angellwings

 

Jacob had left her with a rack of clothes. She glanced around to make sure he was gone and then gingerly pulled herself out of the tank. She resisted the urge to wince as her feet touched the first step down. She hated the first hour or so of walking. Her feet were always so sensitive. Every step felt like she was walking on tiny shards of glass. She gripped the handrail as she stepped down and then bit her bottom lip to deal with the pain as she walked to the clothes. She flipped through them until she found a pale pink skirt covered in tiny teal seashells and matching teal blouse with short sleeves and a lace collar. The skirt stopped at her calves and revealed her very pale legs. Her skin was nearly transparent it was so pale. She’d seen enough human women to know that pale was not attractive to human men. She wondered if Jacob was like those men she sometimes observed on the shores populated with humans. Did he care if she were pale?

She sighed and shook her head at herself. Why did she care what he thought? He was The Librarian and she was a mermaid. What was she thinking was going to happen? She was a thing to be catalogued here. That’s all. She tilted her head and glanced down at the selection of shoes. She wiggled her toes and winced in pain. Would shoes make walking worse or better? She frowned at the two pairs of heeled shoes and set them aside. She gingerly lifted a pair of pale pink flats and studied them closely. There wasn’t much to them, really. She slipped them on her feet and then took a few steps toward the door.

Her hand flew to her mouth as she stifled a pained cry.

Worse. Definitely worse. She took several deep breaths and, just as she reached down to take the horrible things off, Jacob knocked on the door frame. She looked up to find him standing there with a hand over his eyes and she giggled.

“Are you ready?” He asked. “Can I look?”

She laughed again. “Yes, I’m ready.”

He cleared his throat before he spoke again. “You have a…a really great laugh,” he said hesitantly with a shy grin. He removed his hand from his eyes and found a blushing Cassandra looking back at him. His eyes roamed the length of her from her head down to her feet. They may have lingered slightly too long over her legs, but he couldn’t help it. For legs she didn’t use very often they were awfully shapely.

“So, what do you think?” She asked nervously.

He smiled warmly at her and nodded. “You look very nice, Cassandra.”

“Thank you,” she said with a giggle as she ducked her head shyly.

“Shall we?” Jacob asked as he held out a hand to her.

She smiled and nodded eagerly before she accepted his hand. He hurriedly led her further into the depths of the Library. She had been so caught up in him and so nervous that she forgot to remove the shoes. Her feet were hurting worse than usual but she didn’t want to ruin the moment. She bit back her pain and forced her way through it. The excited light in Jacob’s eyes as he told her about the Ark of the Covenant and the Spear of Destiny almost made the pain worth it.

Finally, though, her ankles could no longer hold her up and she stumbled into Jacob with a whimper.

“I’m sorry,” she said frantically. “I can’t—“ she stopped and swallowed thickly. “Can we sit, please?”

Jacob gave her a concerned glance and then quickly wrapped an arm around her to support her. He led her to a chair and then pressed the back of his hand against her forehead. “You don’t feel dehydrated and you haven’t been out of the water for very long. What’s wrong?”

“It’s my feet,” she told him honestly. “They’re not used to walking this long or this far and definitely not used to walking in shoes.”

“Well, darlin’,” he said with a sympathetic smile. “Then take them off.” He reached out and wrapped one hand around her ankle while the other slipped the shoe off of her foot. Her skin burned where his hand touched her. Somehow, she doubted that had anything to do with the pain in her feet.

He winced and then whistled when he noticed the blood on bottoms of her feet and the raw skin on her heels. Her toes were red and had she kept the shoes on any longer he was certain she’d have blisters.

“Cassie,” he said with a sigh. “You should have said something. This looks bad.”

“I didn’t want to ruin anything. You were so happy.” She decided not to point out that he’d called her Cassie instead of Cassandra. She actually liked it when he shortened her name.

“If you’re hurt then I want to know,” he told her. “You should enjoy yourself too.”

No one had ever concerned themselves with her before. She took a deep breath and blinked back a few tears as she nodded.

Jacob must have assumed they were from the pain in her feet because he released her foot and then quickly stood. “I’ll get the first aid kit. You stay here, okay? I’ll be right back.”

She nodded wordlessly again. He gave her one final concerned look before he turned and raced off to find bandages. He didn’t even know her and these injuries were far from serious but he was so concerned for her. He cared about her well being and whether or not she was enjoying herself. No one ever asked her what _she_ wanted or considered her comfort when planning anything. Not a single one of her sisters had ever treated her with a fraction of the kindness Jacob had shown her. She knew now that her decision to stay at the Library and help Jacob had been the right one.

Not that she’d ever really doubted it, but it was nice to have some sort of confirmation.

He was back quicker than she thought possible and he immediately set to work bandaging her feet. Given the calluses on his hands and the roughness of his exterior, he was surprisingly gentle. His touches were light and cautious.

“You know,” Cassandra said hesitantly. “No one has ever cared for me like this before. I’m not quite sure why you are. We don’t really know each other.”

“You told me that you like me and so you don’t want to see me hurt, right?” He asked her knowingly.

She nodded.

He looked up and met her eyes with a friendly smile. “Well, the same goes for me. I like you, Cassie. I don’t want to see you hurt. You deserve to have someone like you and care about you and I’m sorry it took this long for you to find it. Now, come on, I want to show you the rest.”

Her brow furrowed and she kicked her legs out from the chair. “But my feet…I can’t walk anymore. They hurt too much.”

“I have an idea. You ever had a piggy back ride?” He asked with a grin.

She gave him a confused and disgusted face. “That doesn’t sound like much fun.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “It’s not what it sounds like. I used to give my sisters piggy back rides all the time. I’m gonna crouch down and turn around. Just wrap your arms around my neck, okay? I’ll do the rest.”

She didn’t look convinced but she did as he asked. When they stood he was holding her against his back and she could see over his shoulder. His arms were wrapped around her legs to hold her securely. She beamed at the view excitedly. Now she could listen to him talk and see what he was referring to. She giggled and then shook her head as he took several steps forward. “And you said this is called a piggy back ride? That’s a strange name, don’t you think? Where does it come from?”

He paused and then turned his head to give her a thoughtful look. “You know, I’m—I’m not really sure. Huh.”

“You mean there’s a question that The Librarian doesn’t have the answer to?” Cassandra asked him teasingly.

He rolled his eyes at her and laughed. “Yeah, well, it had to happen sooner or later.”


	4. Helping Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra finds a gift waiting for her one morning outside of her tank.

The next morning Cassandra found a robe and a gift bag on the platform that led up to her tank. She smiled softly at the package and pulled herself up onto the platform. She reached up and tugged the robe down from the railing and quickly patted herself dry. She winced a little at the tingling of her tail becoming legs and then slipped the robe around her shoulders. She glanced down the stairs at the rack of clothes and sighed tiredly. She was not looking forward to walking again and, as kind as he was, she knew Jacob couldn’t carry her everywhere.

She turned her attention back to the gift bag and smiled. She pulled the bag to her and opened it gingerly. She’d never been given a gift before. She wanted to remember this. She pulled a pair of shoes from the bag and her brow furrowed. Or at least she thought they were shoes. They were soft and very fluffy. They weren’t at all like the other shoes she’d looked at yesterday. There were no laces, straps…they didn’t even have a back. She reached into the shoe and pressed down on the bottoms. They were very squishy and they held the indention of her fingers.

She smiled brightly and eagerly placed them on her feet. She stood up and slowly walked down the steps. To her surprise, she barely felt the pins and needles she normally felt. She laughed and glanced down at her feet. They were even pretty. They were pale pink with soft blue bows. They were the colors of her tail.

She chose clothes to match and then ventured out into the main Library. Her feet weren’t burning or hurting. This present was perfect. The exact thing she would have wanted for a first present. If the bag had been left for her then Jacob must be nearby. He wasn’t his usual table next to her tank. She remembered Jacob carrying her through a room with several work tables and a card catalogue on the way to her tank that first day. Maybe that’s where he was.

She passed several relics on her way there and as she passed one section she heard a strange sound. Like metal scraping metal. She paused and turned toward it to find a trident in a stand. She took another step toward where she thought the card catalogue room would be and she noticed the trident turned as if it were watching her. Her brow furrowed and she tilted her head curiously.

She noticed it dripping as she turned and approached it. The points of the trident were lightly spraying water. Cassandra reached out a hand to touch it and she could have sworn it began to glow just slightly.

“There you are!” a voice said brightly.

Cassandra stepped away from the trident and turned with a startled jump. “Jacob!”

“I just came from your tank and saw that you’d already gotten up,” he said with a friendly smile. “You opened my present.”

She beamed at him and nodded excitedly. “I love them!” She walked over to him, placed one hand on his shoulder for balance, and then lifted her leg and pointed one foot out so he could see. “They’re so comfy! These are so much better than any of those shoes from yesterday! What are they called?”

“Slippers,” He told her. “They’re meant to wear with sleepwear or if you’re not venturing outside your house so if you leave the Library you would need to wear something else. But for walking around here I think they’ll be better for you.”

“Leave the Library?” She asked him with a small hesitant smile. “You’d let me leave?”

“You’re not a prisoner here, Cassandra,” Jacob said kindly. “Of course, I’d like to know where you are just to make sure you’re safe, but I don’t want you to feel like you’re trapped here.”

She squeezed his shoulder and then gave him a grateful glance. “Thank you, Jacob.”

He cleared his throat awkwardly as he smiled warmly at her and then motioned to the trident. “I see you found Poseidon’s Trident. I didn’t think that would take you long.”

“I actually think it found me,” she told him. “Is it possible for a relic to follow you?”

He nodded. “More than possible. It’s actually quite common. Excalibur follows Judson around like a lost puppy. He and I never quite got along.”

Cassandra smiled warmly at him. “You’re talking about Excalibur as if it were a person.”

“He sort of is,” Jacob said. “He has his own distinct personality. Most of the relics do. They also tend to like certain people more than others. They grow attached. Just like The Library itself.”

“I kept hearing metal scraping metal behind me as I walked and then I turned around and found that Trident,” she told him. “I don’t remember it being on this aisle yesterday during our tour.”

“Well then you must’ve made a friend,” Jacob said with a chuckle. “Makes sense, honestly. Given where you grew up.”

“I suppose,” Cassandra said with a soft smile.

“Listen, I was about to order lunch. Do you want anything?” He asked. “Charlene will kill me for ordering delivery but a case came up and I really don’t have time to go out.”

“A case?” She asked with an excited grin. “What kind of case?”

“A few kids have gone missing in Boston,” he told her with a furrowed brow as he led her toward the card catalogue room. “Far as I can tell they all work for the same company. It came up in the Clippings Book so I’m looking into it. I have to admit it seems suspicious so far.”

“What’s the company?” Cassandra asked as they reached the table where he’d spread out his research.

“Golden Axe Foods,” he told her as he showed her a picture of their logo. There was a symmetrical double axe in the picture.

“Labrys!” Cassandra exclaimed as her eyes lit up in recognition. She pointed to the logo and then repeated herself. “Labrys!”

“What?” Jacob asked with a furrowed brow.

“Golden Axe! That’s a Minoan Labrys! I found one once off the coast of Crete! I had to hide it from my sisters,” she told him. “They would have done terrible things with it.”

“Minoan,” Jacob said thoughtfully. “That might explain…” he flipped a few pages in his notebook and then slapped a page before he turned it toward her. “I found a pattern.”

“A pattern?” She asked.

“Of seven. Seven girls, seven boys. They go missing every seven years,” He said as he pointed out the names of the missing and the dates they were last seen.

“The Minotaur,” Cassandra said with a gulp. “I heard rumors around the ocean but I never thought—You don’t think this company has trapped a Minotaur do you?”

“For their sake, I hope not. Judson says they hold a grudge,” Jacob told her with a shake of his head. “I’ve gotta find a way in.”

“Can’t help there,” Cassandra said with a smirk.

“No, no, you just helped so much more than you realize,” Jacob said with a bright smile. “You and the Labrys just kept me from unwittingly walking into a Labyrinth. You’d say that’s the only place they could keep a Minotaur, wouldn’t you?”

“But where would they put a Labyrinth in Boston?” Cassandra asked him. “I’ve seen the city. From a distance. Even from a distance I could tell there was no room for a Labyrinth.”

“Right,” Jacob said with a nod. “Good question. This is where the Card Catalogue comes in handy. I need any book I can get on Labyrinths.”

“Oh! And pocket dimensions!” Cassandra added excitedly as she followed him over to the card catalogue.

He turned an amused grin on her and chuckled. “Right, can’t forget the pocket dimensions.”

“It could explain something so big hiding in plain sight,” she said with a shy shrug. “Just a thought.”

“It’s a brilliant thought, Cassandra,” Jacob assured her. “I would have gotten there eventually, I’m sure but I’m a history and art guy. You—you like science and math. Your brain probably works at warp speed compared to mine.”

“Warp speed?” She asked in confusion.

“It’s a science fiction thing—“

“I’ve read science fiction and I’m not familiar with it,” she told him.

“On television,” he clarified with a warm smile.

“Oh, I’ve never really watched it before,” she said with a shrug. “Books have always been more appealing to me.”

“Me too,” Jacob agreed. “Not that I’ve not watched it because I have—“ he said as he rambled nervously. He chuckled at himself and then ran a hand through his hair. “I just—I prefer books too. Like you.”

She bit her bottom lip as he looked over at her with an embarrassed blush. He really was adorable. After the stories she’d been told she’d never dreamed she’d find a Librarian adorable. There was also this strange feeling of satisfaction floating inside of her belly. Where did that come from? When did it start?

“So, per your idea, I’m going to give you the cards for the books on pocket dimensions and I’ll take the books on Labyrinths and Minotaurs,” Jacob told her as he handed her a stack of cards. “Think you can find them on your own? The Library is a bit of Labyrinth on it’s own, I know.”

 _That’s_ where it came from. It started when she suggested something for the case and Jacob actually listened. He _listened_ to her! They were working together on the case and she was helping!

“Cassandra?” He asked in concern.

“You’re letting me help,” she said before she bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling brightly at him.

“Yeah, well,” Jacob said with a shrug and a grin. “You’re a natural.”

“Does this mean I can go with you?” She asked hopefully.

“Uh, well, one step at a time, Cassie, okay?” He asked.

“One step—you mean some day I may actually get to go with you?” She asked. “I thought for sure you’d say no!” She hopped a little and beamed at him.

“With the right case and proper preparation…I don’t see why not,” he told her with a kind smile. “Like I said, you’re a natural.”

She looked so excited that he thought she might explode. It made him wonder how her “sisters” treated her. Was she ignored, dismissed, or abused? Maybe all three? Something led her to believe that her input wasn’t wanted or needed.

“Yes, yes, yes!” She exclaimed as she did a little hopping dance he’d never seen before and then launched herself at him in a tight hug. He froze at first. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been _hugged_. Maybe every now and then he picked up a girl at the local bar, whenever he managed to have a moment to himself, but those girls weren’t really the _hugging_ type. Finally, he came to his senses and wrapped his arms around her. He hugged her just as tightly and chuckled at her excitement.

When they pulled apart Cassandra blushed a bright red and then held up the cards he’d handed her earlier. “I, um, I’m going to go look up these books! We have research to do.”

“Right, yes,” He agreed with a nod. “Me too.”


	5. An Offer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I am so sorry I haven't updated in so long! I couldn't figure out where this story was going and then things spiraled with other stories and the show and real life and before you know it, a year has passed with out an update. But I did write an update last night. ;) SO finally, there's more to read.

Cassandra proved to be an excellent helper. She cut research time in half. She was also an excellent contact when he was too busy in the field to look something up himself. In between cases, he’d built her a shelf at the top of the tank on the outside. It was the size of a small table, just big enough for her to rest an open book on. He’d sit at his table and read and she’d rest against the wall of her tank and read from her shelf. When it was time for a case, she’d get out of the tank, get dressed, and pad around in her slippers to help him. She’d stay in the catalogue room with the phone in case he needed her help. Her information had come through when he was certain it was over for him.

She was quick on her feet and her math and physics skills were practically impossible. He’d just returned from a case involving the House of Refuge and an immortal serial killer. There was no way he would have solved that one without her. She’d seen through the clues and understood the House in a way Jacob had never considered.

He walked through the main elevators and Cassandra was immediately there to meet him with Judson and Charlene not far behind her. She beamed at him and he felt her smile deep in his chest, like a flutter of something unknown. Her smile turned to concern when she spotted his torn and bloodied sleeve.

“What happened?” She asked as she grabbed his arm. He’d bandaged the cut before catching his flight home but he’d had no other shirt. He’d gotten more than a few stares from civilians and security alike.

“Katie got a lucky slice in. It’s shallow. Don’t worry about it,” He told her with a warm smile. “The house left this for you, by the way,” he said as she handed her an elegantly addressed envelope.

“Really?” She asked as she accepted it gingerly. “For me?”

“If it wasn’t for you, I might have burned the damn thing down,” Jacob told her. “The house knew it had you to thank. I didn’t see what was happening. You did.”

“You’re fortunate you had another pair of eyes to see through,” Judson told him.

“At least he says thank you,” Charlene muttered under her breath. “Unlike some people I could mention.”

Judson sighed and shook his head before ignoring Charlene. “When we’ve talked to you about having a Guardian in the past, this is what we meant. A partner. Someone to see clearly when you cannot.”

Jacob quirked a brow at him. “What are you saying?”

“He’s saying that having a partner, means having someone to confide in and share your experiences. It’s how Librarians stay sane,” Charlene said as she smiled kindly at Jacob and Cassandra. “And whatever this is between the two of you, seems to work. You should both think about making this arrangement permanent.”

Cassandra looked confused. “Do you mean it isn’t? That I could leave if I wanted to?”

“You’ve proved yourself not to be a threat,” Judson told her. “I believe we can trust you out in the world. Wouldn’t you say so, Jacob?”

He looked hesitant, but he eventually nodded. “I see no reason to keep you here against your will.”

This was it, Jacob thought, She’d run out of here toward her freedom and he’d never see her again. He couldn’t meet her eyes. He didn’t want to see the happiness on her face.

If he’d looked at her, though, he would have only seen turmoil. It was true, they hadn’t given her a choice to go out into the world before, but…she’d never really felt like they were keeping her captive. She felt needed and useful and…cared for. But was there a real reason to stay? She knew the Library had chosen Jacob and previously Judson and Charlene. But it had never chosen her. What right did she have to stay?

As if the Library sensed her confusion, an envelope fluttered down from the ceiling. She snatched it out of the air and furrowed her brow at her name. Two letters in one day? Before today she’d never even received one. Charlene gasped softly and then caught Cassandra’s eye with a bright encouraging smile.

“Go on,” Charlene told her. “Open it.”

That caught Jacob’s interest and he forced himself to look over at Cassandra just as she pulled a thick paper from an envelope. The paper began to glow as Cassandra read it and Jacob knew immediately what it was.

“A prestigious position?” Cassandra asked eagerly. “What position?”

“Are you serious?” Jacob asked Charlene knowingly.

“The Library chooses, Jacob,” Charlene said with a smile. “Not us.”

“My dear, that is an offer to be The Guardian,” Judson clarified as he gave Cassandra a warm, approving look.

“Guardian?” She asked with a nervous gulp. “Shouldn’t that go to someone _stronger_ than me?”

Jacob gave her a lop-sided grin and shook his head. “Not sure that’s possible. You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever met.”

“Jacob’s correct. The Guardian’s strength does not lie in their brawn, but in their heart. And you have plenty of that, Cassandra,” Judson advised.

“How do you feel about this?” Cassandra asked as she turned to Jacob for his opinion. “Would you want to work together?”

Jacob chuckled and smiled at her affectionately. She was afraid he wouldn’t want her around. Even after the last several weeks. “Cassie, what do you think we’ve been doing? We make a good team. Charlene was right. We should make this permanent.”

“And equal?” Cassandra asked with a narrowed gaze. That was new. She looked as though she was daring him to say no. There was an edge to her stare and Jacob briefly wondered what Cassandra looked like when she saved those sailors from her sisters. Was it some version of the slight glare she was giving him now? Was she saying she wouldn’t stay if it wasn’t a true partnership? Had he treated her as anything less than equal before now? His thoughts were confusing but his answer had always been clear to him.

He nodded. “Absolutely equal.”

She beamed at him for the second time since he’d walked through he door and the same fluttering feeling returned.

“Okay,” she said slowly as she considered her answer. “Then…I accept.”

“Really?” Jacob asked with a bright smile of his own.

She nodded. “This is the first time in my life that I’ve felt as though I’m truly doing some good. I can’t leave now. I’ve just found this place.”

Judson nodded in approval. “Well, Welcome to the Library, Cassandra.”

“I’ll leave the paperwork for you in the card catalogue room,” Charlene told her. “Jacob can help you fill it out. He’s very good at filling out forms. It’s my favorite thing about him. Other than how organized his receipts are.”

Jacob was probably staring. In fact, he knew he was staring, but he couldn’t help it. He’d always hated the idea of a Guardian but having Cassandra fill that role felt right. He never would have imagined it himself so it was a good thing The Library handled that for him.

Cassandra squirmed under his gaze and tucked a long red strand of hair behind her ear. “What’s wrong?” She asked.

“Nothing. Not a single thing,” Jacob said with a soft laugh. “So, we should celebrate.”

“We should?”

“Yes,” Jacob told her with an adamant nod. “You just made a big decision. It’s customary to celebrate those.”

“How should we celebrate?”

“Well, you haven’t left the Library since you arrived weeks ago, so how about I take you to dinner?” Jacob suggested. “My treat.”

“Oh, yes please!” Cassandra exclaimed. “I would love that!”

“I thought you might,” Jacob said with a chuckle.

“Can we get cheese fries?” She asked with a small excited hop. “I’ve heard humans talk about them but I’ve never had them. They sound _delicious_.”

He laughed and then cleared his throat to cover it. He wouldn’t want Cassandra to think he was laughing at her. He wasn’t really, but sometimes, she was just too cute. There was a childlike quality about her and yet sometimes he saw something dark and morose behind her eyes. Being around her was never boring, he knew that for sure.

“We can eat whatever you want, Cassandra,” Jacob answered as he led her toward the elevator. “You mind if we stop by my place first? I need to change my shirt.”

“No, I don’t mind,” she said as she feigned a calm demeanor. The idea of seeing Jacob’s home thrilled her and she wasn’t really sure why. His hand landed on the small of her back and a charge ran up her spine at the contact. No. No, she wouldn’t go there. They were partners now. Friends. Not only that but he was a human and she was a mermaid. He wouldn’t want her. Some part of him would never really trust her. How could he? Her species was notoriously treacherous.

She bit back a sigh and shoved her feelings aside. For now, she would just enjoy spending time with him. She would enjoy saving the world every week, twice before Friday.


End file.
